AN: Wow. I was blown away by the response to this! Your reviews were so kind (and numerous) that I've updated less than 24 hours later! So, as requested, here's chapter two!
I was glad that it was Callen who was with me. He seemed to understand that all I wanted was facts about my partner's status.
"One round to the torso, and another to the shoulder," Callen was saying. I made myself focus in on his words. "He lost a lot of blood, because we couldn't get the paramedics in right away. He flatlined once during surgery, but," Callen said hurriedly at my terrified expression, "the docs say he's out of the woods now."
I nodded. Out of the woods was good… right?
Callen was silent for the rest of the ride, and I was grateful. I needed some time to prepare myself for what I was about to see.
We pulled up to the hospital, and Callen pulled up to the side door to let me out. I looked at him curiously.
"W-what room?" I managed to choke out. He just nodded, and I turned around. Hetty was standing just inside the door. "Thanks," I muttered, closing the door behind me and nearly sprinting into the hospital.
Of course Hetty would be here, I reasoned. She's his next of kin.
I tried to ask Hetty. So many questions were swimming around in my mind—how's Deeks? how's my partner? where is he?—but nothing came out.
"It is good to see you again, Ms. Blye," Hetty said sagely. I just nodded my head tersely, suddenly feeling insurmountable anger toward the little woman in front of me. I couldn't help thinking that if she hadn't sent me away, I would've been there to watch my partner's back.
"Where's my partner?" I demanded, ignoring her greeting. She didn't look surprised.
"Mr. Deeks has been moved to a private room. Follow me." With that, she spun on her heel and walked down the sterile corridor.
I followed closely at her heels up to the second floor.
"Here we are," Hetty said after what felt like an eternity.
There was now only a little wooden hospital door between my partner and me, and yet it felt almost impossible to reach over and open it. It was as if stepping into the room and seeing Deeks laying there would make everything real. And I didn't want this to be real. I wanted to wake up in my partner's arms and realize this was all a bad dream.
"Ms. Blye," Hetty's voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked down to see her small hand on my wrist, then looked at her with a cold glare, feeling a remnant of my anger return. "I understand your feelings," she said. I kept my stone cold mask in place. "But I need you to prepare yourself. He really is better than he looks. It has just been a… rough few months for him…"
And who's fault is that? I wanted to ask, but I managed to keep my mouth firmly clamped shut.
Instead I nodded, reached over, and opened the door. When I stepped inside, I felt my heart break into nearly a million pieces.
In the back of my mind, I registered that Nell was sitting by his side, but I was too over come to acknowledge her.
I walked toward my partner as if there was some invisible force pulling at me.
His position was reminiscent of the last time he'd been shot, but he looked different. Worse.
His usually golden tan skin was a pale color. There were what looked like permanent dark rings under his eyes.
He hasn't been sleeping, I realized.
He looked to have lost around ten pounds, and it wasn't just from his ordeal. His normally well-kept golden locks were dull and slightly matted.
A small sound—somewhere between a gasp and a sob—escaped my lips. Nell turned around and gasped.
"Kensi!?" she exclaimed. Then her excitement faded as she looked back down at my partner. "I'm… I'm so sorry," she said, looking down ashamed.
I crossed the rest of the distance to my partner's side opposite Nell, and took his free hand in mine.
"What happened, Nell?" I asked, barely able to get the words out. Nell looked down.
"There was a shoot out," she began. I nodded, already knowing that. "We were pinned down in a corner. I didn't know what to do, but Deeks had a plan. Or, at least, I think he did. We were too far apart to speak, so he made hand gestures… you would've understood…" she trailed off and looked at me with tears in her eyes. "I tried, but… I'm so sorry, Kensi."
For the briefest moment, I wanted to blame her. I wanted to rage and shout and take my anger out of someone tangible. But Nell didn't deserve that, and it wouldn't make Deeks wake up unharmed.
"I know, Nell, I said, coming around the bed to squeeze her shoulder. "I know. I just…" I trailed off, not sure how to ask for what I needed.
"I understand," Nell said, rising. "I'll be outside with Hetty if you need anything. Let us know when he wakes up."
I nodded gratefully, then sat down in the chair Nell had just vacated.
"H-hey, Deeks," I said, reaching for his hand again. Suddenly, I couldn't hold it back any longer, and a sob escaped my tight control.
"What the hell were you thinking?" I demanded of my unconscious partner. "This isn't how it was supposed to be. Not again. I was the one over seas. I was the one… it was my turn to be hurt, Deeks! Damn it, you cannot keep doing this to me! I missed you so damn much, Deeks. You were supposed to be waiting for me—safe—when I got home. Safe, Deeks. That's the key word here…."
I trailed off, suddenly self-conscious of my raised voice.
"I missed you so much," I repeated in a softer tone. "You have to wake up, okay? Because I-I love you. And… and you promised."
At those words, his hand twitched in mine, and I felt hope begin to replace the fear and dread in my heart.
He'll be okay, I assured myself. He has to be. I have to tell him I love him. He just has to be okay.
"Unngh…" his moan snapped me out of my thoughts and caused the hope I'd felt earlier to become even more prominent.
I watched as his eyes flickered, then opened, and immediately locked with mine….
TBC…
